Method of operating vapor electric devices.



9 P. H. THOMAS. METHOD 9P OPERATING VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICES. APPLIOATIOIFILED APR. 12. 1906.

973,997. Pafientad M25, 1910.

* STATES PATENT OFFICE,

rumn' THOMAS, 012 mon'rcnam, NEW Assrcnon 'ro cooraa HEWITTtimmmc'commm, or NEW YORK, u. x,- A'ICORPQRATION or new YORK.

METHOD OF OPIEIBJA'IIITG VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICES.

, was.

Specification t Letters Iatent.

Patented'Qct. 25, '1910.

application an January 27, 1905, Serial No. 242,862; Divided aim thisapplication filed April 12,

it may concern: Y 'eBeritsknown that I, PERCY H. THOMAS, a

citizen of-the United States, and resident of.

Montclair, county of Essex, State of New 5 Jersey, have. inventedcertain new and usefill. Improvements in Methods of Operating ,1, Vapor-Eletric Devices, of which the followihgrisa specification.

single-phase alternatingcurrent vapor'l'anips provided with a singlenegative electrode are started into operation by ruptnring' aninternalcircuit, it sometimes happens that'the breakin the circuit does notoccur at the right base for constituting the electrode which is intendedfor the negative electrode of the apparatus a true negative electrode.Consequently, the rupturing of the internal circuit has to take'place anumher of times before theri ht momentof rupture: is'hitupon. It is oviously ofadvanta e 'at tim'esto provide apparatus whi h r wi I start atevery attempt. To accomplish thispurpose I provide two-negative elec--tnodes' within the container of the apparathe, the same being connectedto points in the supply circuit approximatin lral pointbut separated bya su cicnt potential tocause some flow of current if the two negativeelectrodes should accidentally become connected. In other respects thecircuits are as usual.

To start the apparatus, the lamp or other vapor device is shaken ortilted so as to bring the two negative electrodes into con-- tact andseparate them. The negative electrode resistance is thus broken down andthe lamp'or other device will start into operation through one of thepositive electrodes and through the negative electrode which 40 happensto be a true negative electrode at the moment of rupture. The device cowtinu'es in o )eration upon the negative electrode at w ich the operationstarts. or it may be so arranged as to work through both of the negativeelectrodes which may then be connected, or in case of an accidental reestablishmentof contact between the negative electrodes the current maybe trans fermd to the other negative electrode instead 60 of remainingatthe one through which it starts.

'Forthe purpose of regulating the short circuit current and maintainingproper-oporation of the apparatus, I may provide an the neu- 1905.Serial No. 25 5,082.

inductance in the connection between either of the negative electrodesand the source or an inductance common to both circuits.

The. invention will be understood by refcrence to the accompanyingdrawing which is a diagram of an apparatus well adapted to the carryingout of my invention.

u-In the drawing, 1 is the container of a vapor lamp having two positiveelectrodes,

2 and 3, and two negative electrodes, 4 and '5, the'latter electro esare in this instance represented as of mercur and are separated by aridge, 6, the electro es themselves being contained in pockets formed onopposite sides of this ridge. The negative electrodes are joinedexternally to a source of alternating current which in this instance isrepresented as a transformer having a primary, 7, and'a secondary, 8,the secondary termina-ls bein 'joined to the positive electrodes 2 and'3tirough an'inductance', 9, havin a core, 10. The core 10 is representedas eing surrounded by two windings, one of which-is contained in thecircuit leading from one terminal of the secondary to the positiveelectrode 2 and the other of which is shown as being included in thecircuit leading from the other terminal of the secondary to the positiveelectrode 3. Current flowing through one winding of the inductance 9 tothe electrode. 2 and the negative electrode of.

the apparatus stores energy in the core 10, which energy may bedelivered to the apparatus either in the winding of the device '9connected to the positiveelectrode 2 or in anyjothcr winding upon thesame core as,

forexample, the winding connected in seuses with the positive electrode3.

larly energystored by current throu l1 the winding of the inductance 9connects with the positive electrode 3 may be delivered in any of thewindings upon the core 10. Thus, at any time energy may be deliveredfrom the core 10 to the apparatus as, for example, at the zero point ofthe alternating current wave or at the time of an momentary tendency forthe establishment of the negative electrode resistance.

The connectionsfrom the negative electrodes 4 and 5 to the secondary 8are made at points on oposite sides of the neutral point of the salsecondary so that there is a difference of potential between the twoelectrodes suflicient to cause the flow of a small current when theelectrodes are in contact with each other, either at the moment ofstarting or through accidental causes after the operation has begun. Theleads from the negative electrodes are wound upon the common core 11before being joined to a loop 12, which leads to the points in thesecondary on opposite sides of the neutral point. There is thusconstitutedbetween the nega tive electrodes and the source ofalternating current an inductance which assists in steadying theoperationof the device.

The functions of the resistance 11 will be fully understoodfrom thefollowing explanation of the starting and operation. hen current isimpressed upon the source 7 and connection exists between the electrodesat and 5 within the container, current will pass from the limitedportion of the winding 8 which is included between the connectionsleading to the electrodes 4 and 5 through the two windings of theinductance 11 and the electrodes 4 and 5 and the connections betweenthem. Since these connections are of comparatively low resistance, as isthe mercury of the electrodes 4 and 5, a considerable current would tendto flow if the inductance 11 were not present. Since, however, thewindings are so directed with respect to the core that current flowingto the electrode in one winding and from the elec trode in the otherwinding tend to magnet-ize in the same direction, a considerableinductance is introduced which serves to control the initial current.Since this current is alternating, current will sometimes be passinginto one electrode and sometimes out of this electrode, but since thearrangement is symmetrical either of the electrodes is equally capableof acting as a normal negative, so that when the break occurs withintrodes after separation.

the vacuum between the electrodes 4 and 5 after the establishment of theinitial alternating current from the winding 8, whichever electrodehappens at that instant to be acting as the negative, will receivecurrent from the positive in the normal way and actas the normalnegative. In case, however, the electrodes 4 and 5 become connectedwithin the chamber, current will evidently flow through both windings ofthe inductance 11. since in this way the total inductance will be leastin view of the faetthat currents passing to two electrodes tend tomagnetize the core in opposite directions.

To start the lamp, the container is shaken so as to bring the materialsconstituting the electrodes 4 and 5 into contact'over the place and thecurrent which, during the period of contact, has been caused to flowacross the negative electrodes, is interrupt-' ed, and a flow takesplacebetween the elec- This causes a local breaking'down of the negativeelectrode resistance, after which the current applied through thepositive electrodes 2 and 3 is able to traverse the vapor in theapparatus and set the lamp or other device into operation. It is clearthat the flow will take place from one or the other of the positiveelectrodes to thatone of the negative electrodeswhich happens to be.inproper relation to the cooperating positive electrode for being madeactive as the negative electrode of the apparatus. Thus no secondshaking or tilting of the container will be necessary in order to insurethe starting of the apparatus.- Should the electrodes 4 and 5 beaccidentally brought into contact while the apparatus is operating,there will be no interruption of the operation, inasmuch as the negativeelectro e in contact, both electrodes mayvserve as negative electrodes.

This application is a division of m application Serral Number 242,862,filed anuary I claim as my invention 1. The method of insuring thestarting of a vapor electric apparatus having a plurality of positiveelectrodes and two negative electrodes. which consistsin applying to thepositive electrodes an alternating electro-motive-force capable oftraversing the apparatus under normal conditions of operation througheither negative electrode, attecting the negative lectrodes by aninferior alternating elecuo-motive-force sufficient to locally breakdown the negative electrode reluctance on each separation of thenegative electrodes and causing such separation.

2. The method of keeping alive a vapor electric device requiring thestoring and pel'iodic delivery of energy to the device, and in which aplurality of leads connect difl'erent points of a sourceof electricalenergy to a plurality of positive electrodes, which consists in passingenergy from the source to the device through the several leads, storingenergy at a common point by the paselectric device requiring the storingand pefriodic delivery of energy't'o the device, and fin which aplurality of leads connectflthe difi'erent points of a source ofelectrical energy toajplurality of positive electrodes,

which consists in storing energy at a common DOlIlb on the flow ofburrent from the source in each anode lead and discharging said energyin the same direction through any anode lead.

4. In a vacuum vapor electric apparatus subject to periodic andmomentary instants of deficiency in electrical supply and adapted tooperate through a plurality of positive electrodes connected todifferent points in the supply and having suitable connections forcompleting the circuits of the positive electrodes, the method ofoperation which consists in initially storing energy ata commonpoint-from each of the supply impulses passing through the apparatus,

discharging this energy from storage to any of said clectrodesasconditions may require andrenewmg the energy at the common storage pointafter each discharge.

5. In a s stem of electridal'distribution in which ismserted a vacuumvapor electric apparatus including an exhausted container and suitablepositive and negative electrodes therein and adapted to-be startedduring any alternation, said apparatus being supplied from analternating current source audits negative electrode starting reluctancebeing overcome by .the breaking of a current carrying contact within theyaciium', the method of operation which consists inprovidingalternative'normal operating paths for rectified current, utilizing saidpaths cooperatively, together with alternating cur rent from the]source, .for- 'overcoming the negative electrode reluctance andsimultaneously impressing the. normal operating electromotive force uponthe system.

6, In a system oi electrical distribution in which is inserted .a vacuumvapor'electric device, including an exhausted container and positive andnegative electrodes therein, said device being adapted to be startedduring any alternation, and a suitable alternating current source,'themethod of start-'- ing which consists in passing alternating 3 currentthrough a plurality of alternatiye-igs normal operatlng paths throughthe container, anterior to the initiation of qior nali current flowthrough said container, for the purpose of starting sald normal currentflow, limiting said alternating current xter i 50,

nally to said container and passing normally rectified currents freelythrough the path of the startingalternating currentafter t theinitiations of normal current flow;

7. In a vacuum vapor: electric apparatus,

the method of transferring from one negative,

electrode'to'another, current naturally. tendring to run upon the latterbut momentarily operating from the. former, which consistsin passingnormal current to one negative electrode through the container,connecting conductively this, negative electrode -with a: secondcooperating negative electrodewhile the normal current is still flowing,passing current from' the first named electrode Signed at New York, inthe count-yifof New York, and State of New York, this seventh day of Aril, A. D. 1905. I

. ERCY H. THOMAS. VVitnesses:

WM. H. OAPEL, THOS. H. Brown.

as through the second named electrode =and subsequently separating theelectrodes.

